(1) Except as provided in subsection (4) of this section, ORS 131.550 to 131.600 do not apply to the forfeiture of a firearm or other deadly weapon that was possessed, used or available for use to facilitate a criminal offense.

(2) Except as provided in subsection (3) of this section, at the time of sentencing for any criminal offense in which a firearm or other deadly weapon was possessed, used or available for use to facilitate the offense, the court shall declare the weapon to be contraband and order that the weapon be forfeited.

(3) If a firearm or other deadly weapon that was possessed, used or available for use to facilitate a criminal offense was stolen from its lawful owner and was recovered from a person other than the lawful owner, the court may not order that the weapon be forfeited but shall order that the weapon be restored to the lawful owner as soon as the weapon is no longer needed for evidentiary purposes.

(4) The court shall release a firearm or other deadly weapon forfeited under subsection (2) of this section to the law enforcement agency that seized the weapon. The law enforcement agency may destroy or sell the weapon, use the weapon as a service weapon or use the weapon for training, identification or demonstration purposes. When a weapon is sold pursuant to this subsection, the law enforcement agency shall pay the proceeds from the sale, less the costs of the sale, as provided in ORS 131.594 and 131.597.

(5) As used in this section, “deadly weapon” has the meaning given that term in ORS 161.015. [2003 c.614 §4; 2005 c.830 §24]